National briefs

The main union body in NSW has accused Premier
Barry O’Farrell
of breaking an election promise to shore up crossbench support for his public sector wages laws. He will this week take to cabinet a bill by Upper House MP and Christian Democrat
Fred Nile
to scrap ethics classes in public schools, in a bid to win Mr Nile’s backing for a 2.5 per cent cap on annual public sector wage increases. The Coalition had ruled out scrapping classes. “This deal shows just how desperate Barry O’Farrell is to strip away the rights of . . . public sector workers," Unions NSW secretary
Mark Lennon
said. Michaela Whitbourn

The government’s Malaysia people-swap deal is to be tested for the first time, a week after it was signed. A boatload of asylum seekers was ntercepted north-west of Scott Reef in the Timor Sea yesterday. There were 54 asylum seekers on board and two crew. Immigration Minister
Chris Bowen
said the asylum seekers would be taken to Christmas Island initially and flown to Malaysia three days later. AAP

The Queensland government expects 14,000 new homes will be bought under a new $140 million program that gives a $10,000 incentive to buyers. The program starts today and runs until January 31 next year. The grant is to be funded by the abolition of a discount on stamp-duty rates for a principal place of residence. Zero stamp duty remains for first-time home-owners with properties worth less than $500,000.AAP